Printing press attachment



J. T. BARNES PRINTING PRESS ATTACHMENT May 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 13, 1962 7 m ,M. m 7 m 5 a 7 M E 8 MB K. T M N I R H O W N w E m A m m A7 M JY V B J WM/ 1/) 3 u re A Q May 5, 1964 J. T. BARNES PRINTING PRESS ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 13, 1962 FIG-4 M m m. T E 8 N 5 E R Y V% E m M R N T M%m 5 H m mm. W m. "a m i F YM B United States Patent 3,131,629 PRHNTENG PRESS ATTACHMENT Joseph T. Barnes, 351 Oakland Park Ave, Columbus 14, @hio Filed Nov. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 237,002 1 Claim. (El. 1ll1l48) My invention relates to a printing press attachment. It has to do, more particularly, with a printing press attachment of the general type disclosed in my Patent No. 3,007,403 issued November 7, 1961. This attachment is of such a nature that when applied to an ordinary letterpress of the rotary type, the press can be used selectively as a letterpress or as a direct lithographic printing press.

The present invention provides improvements in the attachment disclosed in said patent, especially in regard to the mounting of the cloth-covered feed roller which is disposed intermediate the lowermost water-supplying roller and the upper transfer roller which is adapted to engage a form roller in contact with the plate cylinder, as disclosed in said patent. The present invention makes it possible to easily remove and replace this feed roller from the attachment, without removing the attachment from the press, for purpose of cleaning and maintenance, for example, to clean or replace the cloth cover. Furthermore, this invention provides a more effective means for mounting the cloth-covered intermediate feed roller for vertical movement and more effective holddown means for normally holding such roller in yieldable contact with the lower water-supplying roller.

The improved attachment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal or side elevational view of an attachment embodying the improvements of my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement of the various cylinders and rollers including those of my attachment and the inking mechanism.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged end view of the attachment taken from the position indicated at line 33 of FIG- URE 1, the feed roller being shown in normal operating position.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the mechanism adjusted to permit removal of the feed roller as indicated.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

With reference to the drawings, the improved attachment of my invention is illustrated in detail and is designated generally by the numeral 19. In general structure, it is similar to that disclosed in said patent. It is adapted to be carried by a part of the press frame as described in said patent. My attachment is preferably used with a rotary web-fed press. This press is not illustrated in detail but preferably includes a cylinder and inking arrangement similar to that shown in FIGURE 2, although my attachment is not limited for use with a press having this specific arrangement.

As indicated diagrammatically in FIGURE 2, a letter press of the rotary type usually includes an impression cylinder 15 and a plate or type cylinder 16 associated therewith between which the paper P is passed for printing. inking rollers are provided in association with the cylinder 16 and include a pair of upper and lower form rollers 17 and 18 which are in contact with the cylinder 16. Ink feeding metal rollers 19 and associated rubbercovered rollers 20 are provided for feeding ink to the form rollers 17 and 13 from an ink supplying roller Zia which is supported in the ink fountain or trough 21. A ductor roller and oscillates between the roller 21a and the associated roller 19. Thus, the ductor roller Ztla 'ice operates intermittently between the rollers 19 and 21a to supply ink and the amount of ink supplied by the roller 21a is controlled by an associated adjustable blade 23. When the press is functioning as an ordinary letterpress, the cylinder 16 will carry the relief type plate or other raised printing image and the inking mechanism will function to supply ink thereto. However, when the press is to function as a lithographic press, it is necessary to supply water or other liquid along with the ink to the cylinder 16, which will then carry a lithographic image plate, usually formed of metal, for example, aluminum. For this purpose, I provide the attachment 10 in the position shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 2, preferably in cooperation with the lowermost inking roller 18. This attachment It) comprises a series of water feeding rollers including the lowermost metal water supplying roller 25 which is always immersed in a water trough 26, a cloth-covered feed roller 27 and a metal transfer roller 28. The rollers 25, 27 and 28 are part of the attachment which is adjustable as a unit relative to the lowermost inking form roller 18'into and out of cooperation therewith, by mounting and adjusting structure not shown herein but shown in said patent. Furthermore, the roller 27 is intermittently movable vertically alternately into and out of contact with the feed roller 25 and the transfer roller 28, respectively.

According to this present invention, the standards 30 for supporting the rollers 25, 27 and 28 are so designed and made that insertion and removal of the rollers is facilitated. Also, the hold-down mechanism which holds the roller 27 down against the roller 25 is of different design so that it will more effectively normally hold down the roller 27 but is readily adjustable to an inoperative position to permit removal and reinsertion of the roller 27 in the standards 30.

Therefore, for these purposes, the upstanding standards or supports 30 at the ends of the Water trough 26 are of C-shape, and may be in the form of castings. The standards 30 at the opposed ends are substantially identical except that they are allochiral. These standards open outwardly toward the inking mechanism 20.

The lowermost roller 25 is rotatably mounted by means of bushings 50 which slip into U-shaped cradles 50a secured in upwardly opening notches 50b in the lower ends of the standards 30. These notches open upwardly and communicate with the horizontally opening spaces or notches 30a in the standards 30. The roller 25 will be immersed in the water trough 26 as long as it is in operative position but can be lifted upwardly and then be moved outwardly to remove it from the standards 36. Each end of the roller 25 is provided with a shaft portion 25a extending through the bushing 50 which is reduced and on the outer end of which there is keyed a star wheel 51. The roller 25 itself is of greater diameter than the width of the cradles 50a to prevent axial movement of the roller out of the cradles.

The cloth-covered roller 27 is mounted in the standards 30 for vertical movement therein. For this purpose the roller is provided with a shaft 52 which extends at each end through the standard. Each outer end of this shaft 52 has mounted thereon the inner ball bearing 54 and the outer ball bearing 55. The shaft 52 in normal operative position is guided for vertical movement at each of its ends by means of laterally spaced vertical guide members 56 and 56a which engage the inner bearing 54 at diametrically opposed points of tangency. The bar 56a (FIGURES 3 and 4) is secured to the outer or end surface of the standard 30 by means of clamp bolts or screws at a location spaced outwardly of the inner edge of the notch 30a. Thus, the bearing 54 will overlap the adjacent outer end surface of the standard 30 to prevent axial movement of the roller shaft 52. The bar 56 is a latch bar mounted for vertical swinging movement about an upper pivot point 56b located above the notch 30a. Its lower end carries a locking screw 56c which cooperates with a tapped opening in the standard below the notch 30a. The outer bearings 55 normally engage the respective eccentrics 51 and hold-down mechanism is provided for holding them in yielding contact with the eccentrics. This mechanism comprises a vertically swingable hold-down lever 57 for engaging each of the inner bearings 54. Each lever 57 is normally tangentially disposed in contact with the bearing 54 at its upper side but is vertically swingable about a pivot pin 57a at the upper end of the bar 56a. A tension spring 57b normally pulls downwardly on the outer end of the lever 57, this spring being connected to that end and being anchored to the latch bar 56 at its lower end by a pin 57c.

With the latching and hold-down mechanism in the condition shown in FIGURE 3, the roller 27 is held within the standards 30 for guided vertical movement. Also, the roller 27 is held down in yielding contact with the water roller 25 since the bearings 55 are held by the biasing springs 57b in contact with the eccentrics 51. It will be noted that each star wheel has the alternating notches and lugs 60 and 61, respectively (FIGURES 3 and 4). To remove the roller from the standards 30, as shown in FIGURE 4, it is merely necessary to release the locking screw 56c, swing the latch bar 56 upwardly into alignment with the hold-down lever 57 and swing the latter lever upwardly slightly. Then the roller 27 can be moved laterally outwardly of the notches 30a. Then the shaft 25a of the roller 25 can be lifted upwardly from the notch 50b and the roller 25 can then be shifted laterally out of the notches 30a of the standards 30. Thus, both rollers 27 and 25 can be removed and replaced as desired. The roller 28 is carried, as indicated in said patent, by a shaft 65 which projects at each end outwardly through the associated bearing standard 30. Each end of the shaft 65 is carried by an eccentric bearing member 66 which is keyed thereto and which rests in a cradle 70 formed in the main part of the standard 30 at its upper end. The eccentric 66 has an outer flange 67 which has a tool-receiving socket 67a. (FIGURES 3, 4 and by means of which the eccentric may be adjustably rotated. It will be noted (FIGURE 5) that the end bearing structures 68 of the roller 28 engage the inner surfaces of the standards 30 to prevent axial displacement of the roller 28. Each standard 30 is provided with a removable cap 75 which engages the eccentric 66 and can be clamped thereagainst by means of the bolts 76 extending into the upper end of the standard 30 and a bolt 77 extending completely through the standard 30 and the cap. Thus, by releasing the clamping bolts and turning the extended flange 67, the eccentrics 66 are turned to raise and lower the roller 28. Pulleys 71 may be provided on the outer ends of the shaft 65 to facilitate handling of the attachment in the initial installation.

When the attachment is adjusted into its operative position, as disclosed in said patent, the rollers 25, 27 and 28 will act in the manner indicated in FIGURE 2. Rotation of the roller 25 simultaneously rotates the star wheels or cams 51. This cam means will alternately raise and lower the roller 27 relative to the roller 25. Thus, in one instant, because the lugs 61 of the star wheel 51 are contacting the rings of the bearings 55, the roller 27 is spaced upwardly away from the roller 25. In the next instant, the succeeding notch 60 receives the rings of the bearings 55 and the roller 27 will be lowered into contact with the roller 25. This intermittent contact and spacing of the rollers 25 and 27 prevents the feeding of too much water from the roller 25 to the roller 27 and eventually to the plate cylinder 16. The roller 28 can be adjusted by the eccentric bearing member 66 to properly contact the roller 27. When the roller 27 is up it will contact the roller 28 and when it is down it will be spaced therefrom. Thus, the roller 27 will alternately contact the opposed rollers 25 and 28.

The roller 25 can be driven in any suitable manner as described in said patent, for example, through a gear 80, keyed to one end thereof, the gear being indicated in FIGURES 1 and 5.

With this improved structure, the intermediate clothcovered roller can be removed and replaced easily for cleaning and maintenance and at the same time it is possible to remove the water-roller 25 for cleaning. This roller removal is possible without disconnecting and removing the entire attachment 10 from the press.

Various other advantages of this improved attachment will be apparent.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A printing press attachment to supply liquid to the printing rollers comprising a transfer roller adapted to contact one of the printing press rollers, a liquid supply roller for partial immersion in the liquid supply and being connectable to a driving means, a feed roller supported between said transfer roller and said supply roller for reciprocable movement therebetween and being alternately engageable with each of said other rollers, a supporting structure for said rollers including a pair of spaced apart, upstanding, C-shaped standards formed with a notch opening to one side thereof, said transfer roller being journaled on said standards above the notches, said supply roller having axial shaft extensions extendible through said notches and which may be removably journaled therein and said feed roller having axial shaft extensions extendible through said notches, said shaft extensions being movable through said notches thereby permitting removal and insertion of said rollers, cam means fixed on said supply roller and cooperatively engageable with said feed roller for intermittently displacing said feed roller into engagement with said transfer roller, guide means carried by each of said standards and operatively engageable with said feed roller for restricting the movement thereof to a reciprocable motion between said supply roller on said transfer roller, said guide means including an elongated, movable guide member pivotally attached to said standard at the side thereof above said notch opening for swinging movement in a vertical plane between a guide position restricting the movement of said feed roller to a reciprocating motion between said supply roller and said transfer roller and an open position permitting movement of said shaft extensions out of said notches for the removal of the respective rollers from said standards, and hold-down means mounted on each of said standards for normally biasing said feed roller toward said supply roller, said hold-down means including an elongatedlever pivotally supported on said standard for swinging movement in a vertical plane, said lever being pivotally attached to said standard to extend between said feed roller and said transfer roller with the free end thereof adjacent said movable guide member and having a portion operatively engageable with said feed roller, and a spring member connected between said movable guide member and the free end of said lever to provide a force to bias said feed roller toward said supply roller when said movable guide member is maintained in the said guide position and to remove said biasing force when said movable guide member is swung to the said open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

